1. Field
This application relates to a surface mounted shelf and planter assembly, specifically used with any appropriate surface, suction cup and suction cup assembly to allow for a temporary surface mounted shelf and planter inside or outside a dwelling.
2. Prior Art
Over the years many people have invented portable or temporarily affixed support devices for window sills to allow for placement of cut flowers in vases, plants/planters, starting plant seedlings, ripening fruits/vegetables and the like. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,436,601 (1922), U.S. Pat. No. 1,446,231 (1923), U.S. Pat. No. 1,558,977 (1924), and U.S. Pat. No. 1,713,116 (1929) provide portable support, however the entire device and items on the device may need to be moved, readjusted or removed if the window were to be moved into open position. Typically, the above devices were meant to be installed on the inside of a dwelling related accessibility issues. U.S. Pat. No. 1,809,216 (1927), U.S. Pat. No. 1,914,617 (1931), U.S. Pat. No. 1,989,294 (1933), U.S. Pat. No. 2,029,246 (1934), U.S. Pat. No. 2,063,289 (1935) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,475,306 (1984) provided temporary affixed support, however mandated that the support device be temporarily mounted with the use of fastening devices, therefore compromising the integrity of the window sill plate and/or jamb. Although most of the temporary mounted devices would remain in place when the window was opened, items that were placed on the devices may need to be moved, readjusted or removed to gain access to be able to open the window.
An extensive amount of prior art has been disclosed related to planters, planter boxes, soil containment systems for plant growth, flower boxes, flower pots, and the like for example U.S. Pat. D614,992 S (2010), U.S. Pat. No. 6,615,540 B1 (2003), U.S. D450,011 S (2001), Des. 403,268 (1998), Des. 393,605 (1998), Des. 389,091 (1998), Des. 385,507 (1995). Typically, pots and containers are any size and shape and are comprised of walls of equal height attached to a base surface. The container will characteristically have at least one vertically disposed hole in the base surface, and the pot or container will sit in a type of shallow tray to prevent liquid from running onto the surrounding supporting surface.
Suction cups are well known in the art and are widely used for affixing items to smooth, non-porous surfaces. Suction cups and suction cup assemblies have been used in a variety of different patents, including but not limited to, soap dishes, tooth brush holders, tooth paste holders, window mounted bird feeders, shower caddies, waste receptacles, and baskets for example U.S. Pat. Des. 419,352 (January 2000) and Des. 419,808 (February 2000).